Caster.



PATENTED AUG. 13,1907. F. L. 'GEORGI. OASTER APPLIOATIdN FILED MAR. 25,1907.

, WITNESSES lNl ENTOR Alzomeys FREDRIGK L. GEORGI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CASTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed March 25,1907. Serial No. 364,358.

' of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook,State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCasters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in casters, and ithas particular reference to a caster carried upon a leg section, thelatter being adjustably secured to an article of furniture.

In connection with a device ofthe above type, the invention aims as aprimary object to provide means whereby an article of furniture, such asa desk or a table, may be supported with its casters off the floor, inorder that it may be steadier in use, and whereby, when it is desired tomove such article of furniture, the leg section carrying the caster maybe moved with relation to the stationary supporting section until thecaster engages the floor and the stationary section gradually raisedtherefrom. In addition to this use, the invention may serve variousother manifest purposes, such for instance as adjusting the article offurniture to a level plane by properly positioning the sections of adesired leg or legs.

The invention aims as a further object to provide a device of the abovetype embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, the details of which will appear in the course of the followingdescription, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, wherein,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, the alternative position of the adjustably movablesection being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,and Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section thereof.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like characters ofreference designate similar parts, the numeral 1 designates a stationarypart of the article of furniture, from which the leg section 2 isadjustably suspended. The part 1 may be the solid stock of such articleor a fixed leg section, but for convenience of description, it willhereinafter be referred to as a leg. A plate 3 is fixed longitudinallyto the lower portion of the part 1 by screws 4. The plate 3 has openings5 threaded therethrough at determinate intervals for the reception ofscrews 6 which are threaded a short distance into the leg section 1. Thescrews 6 are projected through short length longitudinal slots 7provided therefor in the section 2, washers 7 being interposed betweensaid section and the heads of said screws. The section 2 at its lowerend carries a caster 8 of conventional form, and at its upper end isconeavely curved, as at 9. The section 2 on its inner surface adjacentthe section 1 is provided adjacent the lower end thereof with alongitudinal recess 10 communicating with the lowermost slot 7 andwithin which is disposed a retractile coil-spring 11, one end of saidspring being fixed to the material of the leg 2 at the lower end of saidrecess and the other end of said spring being bent upon itself, as at12, and looped loosely about the lowermost screw 6. A cam lever 13 ispivoted, as at 14, eccentrically of its working portion 15 to the plate3.directly above the upper end of the leg 2 and the curved surface ofsaid working portion 15 is designed to engage the curved surface 9 ofthe upper end of the leg 2.

The manner of use will be readily apparent from the foregoingdescription.

The spring 11 normally sustains the section 2 in a position whereby itscaster 8 is away from the floor, the article of furniture being directlysupported upon the section 1, the lower end of which rests upon thefloor. Should it be desired, for any of the purposes above enumerated,to move the section 2 with relation to the section 1, the cam lever 13is swung upwardly from the dotted position of Fig. 1, whereby itsworking portion 15 will engage the surface 9 at the greatest distancefrom the pivot 14. The working portion 15 thus acts as a follower fordepressing the section 2 against the tension of the spring 11. In eitherthe raised or lowered position of the cam lever 13, the spring 11 exertsits force along a dead central line, so that accidental displacement ofsaid lever from the position to which it is moved is impossible.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and efficientmeans are provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, butwhile the elements herein shown and described are well adapted to servethe purposes set forth, it is obvious that various minor changes may bemade in the proportions, shape and arrangement of the several partswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

' What is claimed, is

l. A device of the type set forth comprising the combination with anarticle of furniture, of a leg section carrying a caster at its lowerend and having longitudinal slots arranged one above the other, screwsloosely projected through said slots and threaded into a stationary partof said article, a retractile coil spring having its upper end looselyengaged with one of said screws and its lower end fixed to said legsection, and a cam lever eccentrically pivoted upon said stationary partand adapted for engagement with the upper end of said leg section.

2. A device of the type set forth comprising the combination with anarticle of furniture, of a leg section fixed thereto, a longitudinalmetallic plate carried by said fixed leg section, an adjustably movableleg section carrying a caster at its lower end and having longitudinalslots arranged one above the other, screws loosely projected throughsaid slots and threaded into said plate, said movable leg section havinga longitudinal recess in its inner face extending on both sides of oneof said screws, :1 retractile coil spring disposed in said recess andhaving its lower end fixed to the material at the base of said recessand having its upper end loosely surrounding said screw, and a cam leverhaving its working portion eccentrically pivoted to said plate anddesigned for engagement with the upper end of said movable section as afollower.

3 A device of the type set forth, comprising the combination with anarticle of furniture, of a leg section,carrying a caster at its lowerend and having longitudinal slots arranged one above the other, screwsloosely projected through said slots and threaded into a stationary partof said article, said leg sections being formed at its lower end with arecess in its inner face, a retractile coil spring disposed in saidrecess, and having its lower end fixed to the material at the base ofsaid recess and its upper end engaged with the lowermost of said screws,and means for lowering said leg section against the tension of saidspring.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

FREDRICK L. GEORGI.

Witnesses E. H. ALLEN, JOSEPH A. .ToLm.

